Smith, Joseph

Estimate

18,000 - 25,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

The Book of Mormon ... translated by Joseph Smith, Jun. First European, from the Second American Edition. Liverpool: Printed by J. Tompkins...for Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Parley P. Pratt. By order of the Translator, 1841
paper, ink, sheep leather

18mo (5 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.; 140 x 89 mm). Expertly bound to style in full period sheep, period marbled endpapers and pastedowns, spine ruled in gilt, black morocco lettering piece.

Literature

Crawley 98; Flake 598; Howes S623; Sabin 83041.

Catalogue Note

The fourth, and first European edition of the Book of Mormon.

Published under the guidance of Brigham Young, who evidently was not aware of the 1840 edition at the time of publication, and so used the text of the Kirtland edition.

"In this edition the testimonies of the witnesses, formerly at the end of the volume, were transferred to the front, as they now appear in all later editions, and an index was added at the end. This index is a revision of the one printed separately at Nauvoo in 1840, with a few corrections and added words. According to Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, the book was entered at Stationers' Hall in London, February 8, 1841. The contract was for 5000 copies, but only 4050 were delivered. An agreement was made in April, 1841, for the printing of another edition of 950 copies to supply the deficiency, at the expense of the printer, but the agreement was not carried out by the latter" (Sabin).